Tempo magazine JULY, 2011

GRAFFITI ART

PAGE 14

JULY 2011

The UAE may not have four distinct seasons, but summer’s long sweltering hold can have a cathartic effect, if you embrace it. There’s this guy who walks through the simmering heat breathing in the humidity with a big smile on his face. He says that he “loves” summer. “It’s all in the head. If you extract all the positive qualities of summer - the welcome outside warmth after frigid air conditioning, the siesta disposition, the sense of change and renewal - you can actually translate them all into a “holiday of the mind.”” I then asked him what he does when summer’s over, and he said he goes through a similar mental preparation, psyching himself for the great outdoors and cooler climes! The secret, he said, is to “go with the flow, do it with gusto, and believe.” It got me thinking and it really wasn’t a big leap of faith...we all have to keeping going on in life, anyway, so why not choose to do it with hope and optimism?

On that note of positivity, I want to remind you to shoot a short video (on your phone is OK as length is 40secs), on the topic “I Love UAE” for Tempo and New York Film Academy’s tribute to the UAE’s upcoming 40th National Day Anniversary (see back page). Show your love, stay positive and celebrate our community.

Happy warm fuzzy summer...

Sana Bagersh Managing Editor

bagersh@abudhabitempo.com p.s. the quirky, happy man I just told you inspires me everyday...he’s my husband :)

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ADDRESS To reach editorial at Abu Dhabi Tempo email: editorial@abudhabitempo. com. If you need to find out where you can pick up your copy call: 02 667 3349 or check out the list of Tempo distribution points on our website.

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To reach advertising call 02 667 3349 or email: advertising@abudhabitempo.com.

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DISCLAIMER Tempo is a publication of BrandMoxie. Although Tempo Magazine does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

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MANAGING EDITOR Sana Bagersh FEATURES EDITOR Alma Kadragic EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Ellaine Fatima MAGAZINE DESIGN Mark De Castro WEB DESIGN Rizwan Pervaiz MARKETING COORDINATOR Manjul Abhishek Laskar Laipubam DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Melaku Muluneh EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Angeli Castillo Dave Solomon Neena Rai Randy Parker Preethi Janice D’Sa Ali Manek Shamma Al Suwaidi

Shahid Saeed Layla Ezzedeen Blakniss Manar Al Hinai Justin Thomas Omron Khan Rohith Bhat

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www.tempoplanet.com

dear ed, I would like to congratulate the whole staff of Tempo magazine for bringing the best of Abu Dhabi has to offer. Especially to those who are not so aware of the city, like me, your magazine is really a great help for us, on the restos, hang outs and events. As part of my routine whenever I go to mall is to grab a copy of your magazine and bring it home to share it with my housemates. More power to the whole staff of Tempo...

Good job! } Ismael Gabriel Saballa Hi Tempo, Thanks guys a lot ...I was so happy to see my pic on your calender...really, I even showed it to my friends on my birthday and they were really surprised to see it. Thank you once again! } Sahna Naushad Good day Tempo!

Yesterday I read your magazine, given to me by my sister because she knows I love writing articles in my blog http://irishonbizz.blogspot.com. It was really nice and it inspired me to write again. I will look forward to grabbing every copy of your magazine! } Irish Joy Santillan Dear Ed, I like your magazine very much. My favorite thing about your magazine is definitely the calendar. I would love to see Dear Tempo, more family orientated articles about what’s going on in the city and also interviews with key people to give insight I love the new look and especially the into what is happening around the city. Thanks for letting me voice my opinion about your magazine. logo, but I do find it difficult in some areas } Justyna Elsayed to read the type. The font size is far too small in some areas; I have to strain my Hi Tempo, eyes which can be a little bit of a nuisance. Greetings from the UK :) Hope you’re doing fine. I just had a look at the new Tempo and it looks absolutely brilliant! It I think with some of these minor changes just keeps getting better. The coupons at the last page looks like a great way to get some advertisers and more people you’ll have an excellent magazine. to pick up a copy. } Venita Subramanian } Kenam Shali Love the new tempo magazine :) } Payal Phalke

Hi Tempo, Blueprint is really cool. Me and my friends love Tempo and we all like the idea and I wanna be in that ! } Baber K Khan

SUPPORTING JUST CAUSES

FACEBOOK & TWITTER COMMENTS Nadeem Baig Hi, I was reading Top10 charts and found a bargraph square with caption “Listen to the #1 SONG OF THE UAE.” Just wondering how it works?

Ed: Nadeem see instructions on page 3 of Tempo Priya Manikam Tawde Checked out the june tempo ed & its cool. Wondering about the featured retailers (Sari Rasa), do we get a discount there?

Abu Dhabi Expat What on your bucket list guys? @AbuDhabiTempo to see the northern lights Christina Solis @AbuDhabiTempo grabbed a copy already. Was surprised to see my comment in your latest issue. Thanks a lot. You made my day! :-) Your mag is very informative and entertaining. :-)

His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan presiding over Future Center for Special Needs recent event recognizing its supporters, presents Tempo magazine with a Certificate of Appreciation. The award was received on behalf of Tempo by Ellaine Fatima, Editorial Coordinator.

Missy MAYA @AbuDhabiTempo your June issue is just amazing! Compliments!

CHaNo @AbuDhabiTempo can’t wait for July to start! Summer sale!! Woot Karmel The @abudhabitempo’s new website rocks the beat! Badoom badoom! tempoplanet.com

THE INTERNS SPEAK OUT WHAT’S WORK LIKE AT TEMPO?

Eli Pearson and Jessica Roberts who live in London visited the UAE and interned at Tempo

LOSE TO GAIN CHANGES LIVES Manzil is a non-profit centre for individuals with special needs, that seeks to apply educational, therapeutic and creative experiences and empower the physical and social development of its students. Manzil has launched a unique weight loss fundraiser entitled “lose to gain”.

Participants enroll in the campaign and have a team of supporters who back them up with donation pledges for every kg they lose. In the end, it doesn’t matter who loses how much but it’s the idea of helping by signing up and keeping the participants motivated and inspired to achieve their individual goals and support a great cause.

Find out more: www.losetogain.net

JUNIOR INTERNS

Day 1: Our first day at work After getting lost…(a lot) we were greeted by an enthusiastic but “bus haired” Ellaine. Being thrown straight in at the deep end, we were then invited to sit in on a meeting with the editor, Sana, and head of creative, Mark, and briefed on the week’s tasks. Straight away we were given the opportunity to take control of our own page, an opportunity that we wouldn’t have been given at home. We headed down to the malls to conduct our interviews with the public and then returned to the office to begin work on the creative appearance of the page.

We then finished our first day by assisting Ellaine on two storyboards for a potential viral campaign. Busy first day huh?!

Day 2: Creating the Conversation.

Today we were greeted by a “tame haired” Ellaine. Immediately we began work on the page we started on our first day. Deciding to call it “The Conversation” was a group decision that was agreed on in the meeting so we began placing our gathered context into our design ideas. The afternoon then consisted on keeping our creative juices flowing by suggesting taglines for some up-and-coming events and partaking in sales calls.

Day 3: Office Work and More Office Work…

This was one of our least eventful days at Tempo as we were simply assisting in a few smaller tasks. These tasks included some proof reading, research and some sales calls. Although these were less eventful task we understood that this doesn’t make them any less important as it is the smaller things and the attention to detail that makes Tempo a great publication.

Day 4: Off to Saadiyat Island The opportunities that we were given in this working day made us most aware of how different work placements could be abroad compared to those in the UK. We were given the amazing opportunity of going to the press event for the development of Saadiyat Island, which involved a press conference and tours of the villas. The villas were AMAZING! Truly breathtaking. At home it is pretty much unheard of for a student on work placement to be able to attend such a high class event.

Day 5: Meeting Day Who knew meetings could be so much fun?! Being out and about in Abu Dhabi, travelling around in numerous forms of transport…all this was all definitely an experience. Being able to be involved in face to face sales meetings was an eye opening opportunity. We were made aware that business meetings, be they formal or informal, aren’t simply about men in suits and briefcases, they can be approached in a more relaxed manner.

The rest of our time at Tempo was simply follow up calls following meetings that were held as the publication was being ready to go to print. Over all our experience at Tempo exceeded our expectations as we were given opportunities that we probably wouldn’t have been given at other placements. Words would never be able to explain how grateful both of us are for the help, guidance and support we were given both during the placement and towards our careers.

Tempo hosted its youngest interns ever. Eight year olds Sarah Bukair, Solenne Green and Amelie Yazdabadi of grade 3, from the British School of Al Khubeirat, decided to put together a newsletter for their class. They approached Tempo for a bit of help.

Here’s an excerpt from their interview with their class teacher Mrs Robb.

Q: How was your experience of teaching our class this year?

Mrs Robb: It has been a fantastic year; fun and frolics as we dressed up as Victorians and learned how to swim on the playground with no water! We loved the Conqueror’s day especially then assembly because it was so lively and colourful all of this year was amazing especially the gorgeous girls and boys in Aqua.

Q: Describe your model student ?

Mrs Robb: Funny, sense of humor, smiley and ready to learn.

Q: Advice for us as we head for year 4…?

Mrs Robb: Be as good as you can be!!

SKI DUBAI SUMMER CAMPS Ski Dubai, the region›s premier indoor skiing destination is all set to welcome skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts to its alpine slopes with its special 5 day summer camps....

SMURF VILLAGE 30 June- 30 July The world’s first Smurf Village, a miniworld dedicated to the small blue fictional creatures created by Belgian cartoonist, Pierre ‘Peyo’ Culliford, is a keynote attraction at this year’s ‘Summer in Abu Dhabi’ line-up at ADNEC...

SUMMER IN ABU DHABI FOR KIDS ADNEC, July 1- 30

GALLERY ETEMAD BRINGS MIST EXHIBITION

BY MEHMET ALI UYSAL TO DUBAI 1-11 July, 2011 The prominent contemporary art gallery, Gallery Etemad, has announced its latest exhibition, Mist, by the talented Turkish artist, Mehmet Ali Uysal. The artist commented on his latest collection: “Mist is a confirmation of the depth of power that nature envelopes us with. We ignore it at our peril. The chaos that the day to day brings and the mundane lives that we live in can be taken apart from that sensory feeling of exposure through mist.”

The ‘Photo Print Series’ from the “Mist” exhibition is the relationship between body and space. Using the technique trompe d’oeil these flat photographic works on canvas makes human body parts seem to protrude from a white background. Faceless human prototypes push against the flexible walls to give the illusion that someone is trapped inside the canvas and is trying to break through the surface to escape.

BLOOMSBURY’S Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi get ready to indulge in exquisite cupcakes in the heart of the capital.

London’s most fashionable bakery Bea’s of Bloomsbury has collaborated with locally based culinary connoisseur Shafeena Yusuff Ali who is facilitating Bloomsbury’s seamlessly entry into Abu Dhabi’s existing vibrant café and patisserie culture. “My aim is to redefine the cupcake in Abu Dhabi…why can’t a cupcake taste as good as it looks?” says Shafeena.

Bea Vo, pastry chef and owner of Bea’s Of Bloomsbury (London) explains “The reason we are so highly regarded in London is because first and foremost we are passionate about the food that we make with our own hands. Abu Dhabi is filled with international concepts that lose their essence and are watered down from the original. Our project has resulted in creating an establishment that not only fits within the context of its location, but is also elevated through the use of local ingredients, and through the bringing together of chefs who care. Ultimately the city’s cosmopolitan clientele will appreciate what we do.”

With over 30 flavours to choose from the hardest task at Bloomsbury is what to indulge in: chocolate fudge, tiramisu, chai latte… or all of the above. You’d be surprised to find an Arabic twinge to these cupcakes too. Bloomsbury is proud to be the first and only establishment outside of London to exclusively offer the elite and award winning Square Mile Coffee Roasters.

Bloomsbury’s Luxury cupcakes are priced at Dh 16 each and the Boutique cupcakes are Dh 12 each.

Are your kids bored this summer? Well, there are ways to get your kids active… head down to ADNEC where they can experience the all-new ‘Adventure World’, play dress up at The ‘Career World’ and enjoy the ‘Show World’...

FIND OUT MORE SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR KIDS...

SUMMER- ALL ABOUT ARTS & CULTURE June 26- July 21, 2011 The Dubai Public Library, under the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), has launched an initiative featuring fun and educational summer activities for children and adults.

The summer activities cover arts and crafts, etiquette lessons, Arabic script lessons on three types of calligraphy (Al Naseh, Al Diwani, and Al Riqqah), Holy Quran lessons, stamp exhibitions, and workshops on first aid, gardening, fine arts, embroidery and origami.

The activities will be held over four weeks across the public libraries in Dubai including Al Twar Public Library, Hor Al Anz Public Library, Al Rashidya Public Library, Al Safa Public Library, Umm Suqueim Electronic Library, and Hatta Public Library, with sessions for young children, youth and adults.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE: First week, June 26 – 30: (6yrs- 12yrs) Holy Quran, calligraphy and story writing. The Al Safa Public Library and the Hatta Public Library will host a research writing session, stamp exhibition, workshop on perfume bottle designing, and radio competition.

Second week, July 3 – 7 Agriculture workshops, calligraphy, fine arts exhibition, embroidery workshops, hat painting, and lectures on education.

Third week, July 7 – 14 Design-your-own bracelet and jewelry box designing workshops, exhibitions on young talent, stamps, and dangers of drugs, and lectures on education.

Final week, July 17 – 21 Health and road safety sessions, knitting, and pottery design workshops, as well as lectures on society and community.

LIWA DATE FESTIVAL 2011 July 16- 25, 2011 ADACH brings back the Liwa Date Festival by way of the town of Liwa in Al Gharbia (the Western Region), an event held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The festival includes several competitions and rich heritage and cultural events, all of which focus on the preserving of Abu Dhabi’s culture and heritage, and promoting the UAE’s dates. The event aims to educate farmers on the ways of modern farming and caring for palm trees towards yielding a healthy economic output. It hopes that improved understanding will encourage more attention on quality of the production of dates, and without chemical additives. The festival serves as an annual event to exchange technical expertise among farmers.

The “Liwa Ratab Festival” also includes the display of the largest industrialised date model in the world, which is 10.5 meters long, 5 meters wide and 6 meters high and accommodates up to 20 people in a majlis. The world’s biggest food table, with a diameter of 6.30 meters, will be on show.

EAD urge us all to vote UAE’s Bu Tinah Island as one of the New Seven Wonders? By the way Bu Tinah is already among the 28 global finalists, so your vote still counts. Vote by sending an SMS to 3888. Yes, Tempo would love to visit BT (and report back and tell you all about it).

The UAE’s switching from copper to fiber fixed-line infrastructure (by 2012) to fuel payTV and fixed VoIP growth. Really? Does that mean better internet for all of us?

Megan Fox was in Abu Dhabi recently to launch the LG Cinema 3D TV, and from what we’ve heard, Foxy is far better served doing what she does best: acting and looking damned pretty. Perhaps the LG guys should have read Tempo’s June story on the business strategy of sponsorship.

Huma Abedin, aka Mrs Anthony Weiner and aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was at the Emirates Palace Hotel (for the Libya Contact Group) this past month. Tempo bumped into her, and could have asked her oh so many questions. But we didn’t.

New Al Wasl coach Diego Maradona is spending summer in UAE it seems. Wonder how he’ll cope with the heat…in all senses of the word.

Driving out of town? Gas up in Abu Dhabi.

Flying out of town? Leave your AC on a low setting so you don’t come back after summer and find mould growing out of your furniture.

Yo, all you b-ballers out at Baynounah and Mushrif listen up: if you positively have to play, don’t be dumb, and do it in the evening, and for heaven’s sake keep hydrated!

Have you seen the new Samsung Smart TVC (what is it with TV manufacturers?) It features the eerie “train song” (by singer Vashti Bunyan)? We were charmed the first few hundred times we saw it on OSN, but now after it crossed the millionth mark, we are officially puke-induced.

Our new ice cream darling is Yogurberry at the Central Souk. It’s so smooth it puts regular yogurt to shame…and so totally worth the brain freeze, dude.

We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel at Festival City Dubai this month. The rooms are still the epitome of minimalist chic, and you still need a degree from a respected university to operate their three shower heads.

Anyone watching Al Jazirah TV? Their documentaries are SUPERB and upping the newsreporting ante all the time. If you haven’t watched Al Jazirah TV, you should.

A note to the American Embassy in Abu Dhabi. You have an impressively large embassy building. Might there not be a small shed, or copy room somewhere (that is air conditioned) where visa applicants can wait, instead of outside in sweltering midday 40+ temperatures? Would be a great move on humanitarian grounds, but terrific for PR as well.

Cafe Arabia, your report card: 10/10 for retail design, 10/10 for ambience, 7/10 for food, and 5/10 for service. Bottom line: step up your game to step up to the plate as one of the coolest, most original hangouts in a sea of mediocrity. Pssst, your fans hope the ruling requiring all businesses to move out of villas by 31 Dec 2011 wont apply to you. But if perchance it does, drop us a line... we know of at least several hundred people who would kill to have your villa.

Keeping it brief and real and that’s the bottom line, The Concierge at Tempo Disagree? Opinionated? Plain obnoxious? Talk to me...

The Concierge at editorial@abudhabitempo.com

TECH TALK

GAME HEDZ

Shahid Saeed | For the Non-Techies

Blakniss | Original game head from Atari to XBox!

SONY PLAYSTATION – WELCOME BACK BONUS

E3 2011

The Sony PlayStation network is back online after the emergency shut down and the hacking into their system. All PlayStation network users who had their accounts active till 20 April, 2011 are eligible for the Welcome Back Free Gift Programme. As part of this programme users will get two PlayStation 3 games free from LittleBigPlanet, InFamous, Wipeout HD/FURY, Ratchet & Clank: Quest of Booty and Dead Nation. Users with PSP Accounts will be eligible to download 2 PSP games from LittleBigPlanet PSP, ModNation Racers PSP, Pursuit Force and Killzone Liberation. A 30 days’ free PlayStation Plus subscription will be given to non PS Plus members and 60 days will be offered free for the PS Plus members.

No mystery that Nerdvana took place in early June this year in LA. We were swamped with gaming news and revelations, and what may be important to one Game Head may be nada to another. But some highlights were the Ice-T/Cliffy B coop gameplay demo of Gears 3 campaign (and the intro of Griffin, Ice T’s character), the huge life-sized Marcus Fenix statue/sculpture and the fact that you can buy a three foot lancer rifle replica (I know a place in the UAE that’s shipping ‘em).

NOKIA E7 The Nokia E7 is a funny old situation, harking back to the days of the Nokia Communicator. The bulky E7 measures 123.7 x 62.4 x 13.6 mm & weighs 176g.

It is heavier and larger than the N8 but still slim and pocket friendly. It has an aluminum body and scratch resistant Gorilla glass, an impressive 4-inch 16M-colour, ClearBlack AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 640 x 360 pixels also visible in high sunlight conditions.

More gameplay and storyline were revealed about Mass Effect 3: there’s more aggressive movements - even a roll move and a special omni-blade that acts as a brutal melee weapon. The battle scenes/sequences are Epic-sized and choices, big and small, are more important than ever. Your choices in ME 1 & 2 will be pretty significant to the ME3 story - so get to replaying ASAP. March 6, 2012 is touchdown.

Wii title Legend of Zelda: Skywards Sword got lots of attention and is pretty hotly anticipated. Oh, Lara Croft is back on the adventure trail. Down boys, down.

Aaaand, there’s a little game called Modern Warfare 3 that’s got us all excited.

PACKARD BELL LIBERTY TABLET Packard Bell will launch its new Liberty Tablet in June 2011 to the Middle East. It is designed as a multimedia and entertainment device and will be available in two colours. The device has 10.1 full capacity multi-touch screen with a wider view in 1280 x 800 pixels. It has NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor for optimized HD viewing, 1 GB Ram, 16 Gb Storage & MicroSD upto 32 GB, Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS, 2 Camera’s 5MP on the back and 2MP on the front; capable of making video calls on GTalk.

Gears 3 Retro Lancer Replica

Ice T

The Duke

The Legend of Zelda

CONVERT VIDEO INTO MP3 FORMAT Many programmes can be used to convert videos into MP3 format, so that the audio becomes accessible in a separate file. Video 2 MP3 is a free software program

by Skwire that comes without an interface. Well, that’s not entirely correct, it comes without an interface that you can use to convert videos to MP3 format. You can, however, execute the programme to see instructions on how to use it.

OTHERWORDZ Sony PS3 found some redemption from their hacking debacle when three suspects in Spain were nabbed (at the time of writing, but this may have changed by printing…sorry ed).

XBox Live is apparently slated to be launched in the Middle East within a year. Up to writing no exact date had been set, but it was announced in May this year. Still, one can access it pretty fine right now, but we do get excluded from events/products.

Local cable providers would be smart to do a co-op.

Duke Nukem lives! Back after 14 years of hibernation, he is opening a can that’s chockfull of nutritious whoop ass. You should be playing right now.

Check gamehedz.blogspot.com for E3 vids and other news links. Drop us a line if there’s anything you want to say to the Tempo Game Hedz massive.

Packard Bell Liberty Tablet

Nokia E7

US MUSIC CHARTS TOP 10 SINGLES ROLLING IN THE DEEP | Adele GIVE ME EVERYTHING | Pitbull/ Ne- Yo/ Afrojack/ Nayer

GIVE ME EVERYTHING | Pitbull/ Ne-Yo/ Afrojack / Nayer I NEED A DOLLAR | Aloe Blacc MR. SAXOBEAT | Alexander Stan

E.T | Katy Perry

PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO

ON THE FLOOR | Jennifer Lopez JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH | Black Eyes Peas JUST A KISS | Lady Antebellum EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL | Coldplay THE EDGE OF GLORY | Lady Gaga

Bruno Mars

UK MUSIC CHARTS TOP 10 SINGLES

PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO

THE LAZY SONG | Bruno Mars

THE LAZY SONG

Adele

ROLLING IN THE DEEP

Kanye West ft. Rihanna

ALL OF THE LIGHTS

JUDAS

Lady Gaga

ON THE FLOOR

Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull

Neyo, Pitbull ft. Afrojack

GIVE ME EVERYTHING

Skylar Grey & Dr. Dre

I NEED A DOCTOR

Duck Sauce

BARBRA STREISAND

HIT THE LIGHTS

Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne

LMFAO

PARTY ROCK ANTHEM

Listen to the #1 SONG IN THE UAE

THE LAZY SONG | Bruno Mars WHAT A FEELING | Alex Gaudino BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE | Chris Brown feat. Benny Bennassi CALIFORNIA KING BED | Rihanna SWEAT | Snoop Dogg feat. David Guetta I’M INTO YOU | Jennifer Lopez feat. Lil Wayne

ARE YOU A “PLANETARIAN” (ie. someone who loves the planet)?

Tell us what you do daily to make a “green difference”.

Email: editorial@abudhabitempo.com

ANOTHER TOP 25 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING (continued) Consider the impact of your investments- If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out www.socialinvest.org SocialInvest and www.ceres.org, Ceres to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.

Protect and conserve forest worldwide- Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon.

When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Global Warming is a serious problem. Each of us can do a share to be part of the collective solution. We call upon all to become “planetarians” and adopt a more responsible lifestyle.

Make sure your voice is heard!- Have a stronger commitment to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in engagement.

Make your city cool- Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation.

Share this list!- Send this page via e-mail to your friends!

Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!

Plant a tree- A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.

Switch to green power- If it is possible for you to do so try to switch to energy generated by clean energy sources.

Buy locally grown and produced foods- Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

Buy fresh foods instead of frozen- Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

Seek out and support local farmers markets- They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.

Buy organic foods as much as possible- Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!

Encourage the switch to renewable energySuccessfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass.

Eat less meat- Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters.

Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

Join the virtual march- The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.

Start a carpool with your co-workers or classmatesSharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.

Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions- You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.

Fly less- Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly.

You can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy projects.

Try telecommuting from homeTelecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week.

TEARD AN T POS

Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated- Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!

Try car sharing- Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing is the way to go.

When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle- You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. (You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid!)

Drive carefully and do not waste fuel- You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute.

Keep your car tuned upRegular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.

Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible- Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!

Don’t leave an empty roof rack on your car- This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight removing it is a better idea.

Source: http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html

By Justin Thomas Picture by Shaikha Al Tunaiji

PEOPLE WATCHING AT THE MALL @ COLUMBIANO COFFEE HOUSE If Marina mall were the Serengeti, then the Columbiano Coffee House would definitely be “the watering hole”. Not only is this cafe located at the very heart of the tent shaped mall, but it also boasts a water feature large enough to quench the thirst of a small herd of wildebeest. Just like those watering holes featured in nature documentaries, Columbiano is a great place to watch wildlife. I sit back, like a latter-day David Attenborough, watching the weekly ritual (known as “hanging at the mall”) unfold.

It’s Saturday afternoon, and the mall is teeming with life. Where just a few short hours ago there had been only darkness, security guards and cleaners, now there’s the full spectrum of humanity on parade. A young alpha male asserts his dominance by edging his way to the front of the troop. His hair is spiked; defying both gravity and convention it reaches for the sky like a sun-hungry plant. So too do the popped and upturned collars of his polo shirt. He leads the group of ravenous young carnivores towards a fast-food joint.

Meanwhile, a more traditionally attired flock of females glide in and out of the boutiques around the watering hole. They’re grazing on accessories, most of which began life many miles away, in the fertile imaginations of European fashion designers. Thoughtless gifts are purchased with indifference, while more elusive outfits are patiently stalked and their worth weighed.

simple dichotomous choice between black and white. Now we are offered caffe latte, caffe mocha, affogato, cappuccino, frapuccino, espresso, machiatto as well as an ever increasing list of other coffee-based beverages. Choice is good, and Columbiano has that box ticked - along with decaf if you’re feeling a little tightly wound (especially after trying to choose between all the drinks).

In addition to the voluminous coffee menu the cafe also serves pizza, sandwiches and a decadent pantheon of deserts. All the classics are there: black forest gateaux, cheesecake and chocolate fudge cake. After all that people watching I decided to go for the “healthy” tuna sandwich (in deference to my waistline) but then caved and had rum and raison ice cream followed by a cafe mocha. All were very inoffensive to the palette…the food and drinks are not out-of-this-world (after all this is a fairly modest café) however the Columbiano experience is one worth having, especially if you›re a coffee-shop anthropologist or people watcher.

Yes, Columbiano is a great place to people-watch. But it is also a great place to be seen.

In essence, you are dining out in the open, in a kind of warped indoor alfresco experience, with people often looking down on you from the upper level of the mall. If you’re in the witness protection program, or suffer from “social phagophobia” (a phobic reaction to people watching you eat) then Columbiano is not for you.

The most striking element of Columbiano’s decor is the eighties-style dance-floor. You can almost imagine a scene from “Saturday Night Fever”, a young Travolta thrusting, pirouetting and gyrating his way to the bar. Thankfully, this surface is not used as a dance floor - as scolding hot drinks and disco dancing are never a good combo. That said, the anachronistic, ill-situated dance-floor adds a strange sense of flamboyance and celebration to the establishment.

There is nothing obviously Columbian about Columbiano’s decor, unless you make a very tenuous link between disco-dancing and Columbia’s most controversial export (Shakira).

None of the table staff or management appear phenotypically Columbian but what is particularly odd is that this small army of table-staff all have suspiciously similar physical appearances. It’s as though the proprietor/manager implemented some form of eugenic recruitment strategy. The whole team is roughly the same age, height and build, with females relatively taller than the males, and everyone looking as though they’re closely related.

No, the Columbiano Coffee House is not staffed by Columbians. It’s probably safe to assume that the establishment’s name is derived from the origin of the coffee served of which there is no shortage of choice - Columbiano boasts one of the most extensive menus of caffeinated beverages I have ever seen! Gone are the days when coffee was a

Sent in by Noorkie YOU WILL NEED: 1. Top a layer of tortilla chips (Doritos or Tostitos) 2. Grate the cheese! (Something orange is traditional) 3. Bake until the cheese melts.

4. Top with warm beans seasoned with chili powder, along with chopped spring onions. *Other possible toppings: jalapeños, sour cream, coriander, tomatoes, olives or minced beef too!

OTHER DIPS?!?!

Guacamole Dip: Combine onions, Tabasco sauce and Avocados in a blender until a smooth mixture has formed.

Nacho Sausage Dip: Boil and crumble sausages; drain well.

Melt cheddar cheese in microwave, stir occasionally. Combine both together. YUM!

RATING SCALE: LEVEL 1: SUPER EASY LEVEL 2: RELATIVELY EASY

LEVEL 3: MEDIUM SKILLS REQUIRED LEVEL 4: COOKING SKILLS A MUST LEVEL 5: ARE YOU SURE YOU WANNA DO THIS?

Ann J.C, 22, a young fashionista, presents her fashion line reflecting the genres of music she connects to. She portrays the idea of music meeting fashion by marrying popular visual concepts in music with fashion colours and styles.

MODELS: Elissa Furnel Nikoo Ete Ayushi Misra Veronica Gautum PHOTOGRAPHER: Mehr Singh, Hansraj Dochaniya STYLIST, HAIR AND MAKE UP: Ann J.C

“Being a musician as well, i thought it would be a fantabulous idea to fuse the two (music-comfashion), and create a fashion line” - Ann J.C

Gothic music encompasses a number of different styles inspired by the Victorian era, dark colours, loads of make up and wicked hair- styles.

Reggae is very chilled out! Yellow, red and green, colours of the Rastafarian flag of Jamaica, Yeah Mun!

Pop style is a firework of eye-popping colours, brights and neons!!

FASHION STATEMENT:

“FASHION NOT ONLY DEPICTS WHO WE ARE BUT IT IS ALSO A LIFESTYLE WE CREATE FOR OURSELVES”

- Ann J.C

WATCH HER INTERVIEW ABOUT HER STYLE

GRAFFITI STYLE Interview by Angeli Castillo

Scribbles on the school cafeteria tables, paintings in exhibition halls, murals adorning cathedral walls, carvings hollowed out in domes… all this speaks volumes of art and self-expression. No, ‘SAFE’ is not just a feeling, but also the name of an expressive artist who speaks his mind and tackles controversy with a spray paint can and a gas mask.

SAFE, whose last exhibition was in March 2011 and whose next will probably be this month, was ambushed by Tempo for a rare interview….

SEE MORE OF SAFE’S ARTWORKS

TEMPO: WHO OR WHAT IS SAFE?

SAFE: ‘Safe’ is a person, an action even I don’t understand, he is weird, he is different, and he is unique… I can’t say it is a bad thing and I can’t say it is a good thing…

SAFE is his own genre and he is indefinable.

TEMPO: WOULD YOU CARE TO ELABORATE ON THE TECHNICALITIES OF YOUR ART?

SAFE: When it comes to street art there is something a lot of people need to know before they get judgmental...graffiti vocabulary can be broken down into three terms. ‘Tagging’ is not what you do when you run and tag someone or a Facebook action but a graffiti artist’s signature, and it is done by a marker or a spray paint. ‘Bombing’ is not physically planting something to hurt anyone but a prolific painting of marking with ink. ‘Pieces’ are the big colourful art works that include name with a background, 3D effects, etc… it is basically short term for masterpiece. There are a lot of other terminologies to the game, but I’m not bothered to care what the terms are, I just want to paint alone in my own little world.

TEMPO: WHO INSPIRES YOU?

SAFE: Hmmmm…I am not entirely sure who inspires me because I think I like big art work because it’s more noticeable, but Banksy would be one of the many inspirations I have on a daily basis.

TEMPO: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SAFE?

SAFE: I don’t follow a set of routine so it’s difficult to say, but I’m very spontaneous and I prefer to do things that feel right at the moment. But I’ll tell you what I did today…. I woke up around 2 pm, had chocolate for breakfast and some water. I went to my can rack, grabbed some spray cans out for a graff session with a friend. I left the house and realized that I didn’t bother with a shower, so I picked up my friend, we went to the location and applied art…we got dirty, sweaty, and at some point I thought I got a heat stroke. Anyway, I came back to my place, recharged and went to an isolated café, met with other friends, looked at the pictures and vids of today’s session, then just chilled and discussed the next session.

Then I showered and started working on canvas from around 11pm till 6 am. That is not what happens every day.

TEMPO: IS THERE A SILVER LINING IN YOUR CLOUD, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY? SAFE: There’s no silver line. There is only an outline, which I fill in and place against a background.

TEMPO: WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A GRAFFITI ARTIST?

SAFE: Well to me graffiti has been my gateway to other things, such as canvas art, contemporary and modern art. It’s also one amazing adrenaline kick.

It’s very addictive and has really opened me up and made me who I am today. I just can’t describe it in words. It’s pure bliss.

TEMPO: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

SAFE: My biggest challenge was getting graffiti spray paint which is not available here and can’t ship from overseas because it’s considered “dangerous.” But we have managed to use what we have around.

Another thing that bugged me out at first was the haters - other “graffiti artists” - who call themselves “kings.” They’re the ones who hate your work and try and put you down as hard as they can, but after a while I just stopped caring. One person I trust that has helped me is my one and only graff partner “Rami” who has taught me not to care about jealous haters. Thanks homeboy.

NAME : MOHAMED AHMED AGE : 22 PROFESSION : PETROLEUM ENGINEER STUDENT NATIONALITY : YEMENI MOTTO : LIVE, LAUGH AND ENJOY THE HELL OUT OF IT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

If I could wake up tomorrow in some one else’s body, it would definitely be Vin Diesel’s!!!

A TV show that I would love to be trapped in would be “How I met Your Mother.”

If I were on death row, my last meal would be home made biryani.

The person that inspires me the most is my father.

If I could have personally witnessed one event in history it would be the day Japan started the designing the Nissan – GTR R35.

If I was a drink/ snack/ fruit/ vegetable it would be the mango.

If today was my last day, I’d take the first plane to Spain.

My purpose in life would be to fulfill my religion in the most modern way possible and to accomplish all my life needs.

My earliest memory is of being slapped on the mouth because I was being really naughty and rude!

If I wanted to look absolutely awesome, I’d wear black skinny jeans, a formal shirt and top sider shoes.

The only thing I can’t stop buying are black shoes! I have so many of them but I still want more!

I’d like to be a Petroleum Engineer 10 years from now.

My favorite dessert is Chili’s Molten Chocolate Cake.

The craziest thing I’ve done is ride the world’s fastest rollercoaster at Ferrari World.

One thing I can not live without is Soccer My most valued possession is my Blackberry 9000

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THE MAKING OF TWO VIDEOS I LOVE UAE FILM COMPETITION Two contestants entering the “I LOVE UAE” film competition hosted by Tempo in association with New York Film Academy decided to take us behind the scenes…

Contestant 1: SONGS IN THE REAL LIFE: ABU DHABI Team Leader: Ali Manek and Shadi Mohammed Actors: Eddy El Masry - Mohammad Hassiba - Mohammad Monawar Ahmad El Sawwaf - Ali Manek - Shadi Kabbesh - Omar Refaiy - Nood Darwiche - Hazza Al Ameri - Ellaine Camera Man: Mahmoud “Nood” Darwish Photographer: Nood and Hayel Al Ameri

Contestant 2: FRIDAY!!: A TYPICAL FRIDAY IN ABU DHABI Team Leader: Nyurka Fernandes Accomplices: Aaron Lee D’souza, Arun Varghese, Aiken Fonseca, Anjora Gomes, Athena Mascarenhas, Shannon Tippetts, Gail D’souza, Nicole Simoes, Ishan Agarwal, Fadhil Siddiq, Nolan Menezes

“Songs In Real Life: Abu Dhabi” is a collaborative effort to bring music and film together in a comedic way! Written and directed

by Ali Manek and Shadi Mohammed, the two share a passion for film. “We were thinking of ideas and wanted to do something fun but with a purpose,” said Shadi.

The film shows the beauty of Abu Dhabi while keeping viewers entertained with very funny pranks, situations, and a bit of hard luck! “I wanted people around the world to see just how incredibly beautiful Abu Dhabi is and how much there is to do in the city! It really is the greatest city in the world, and this is our way of expressing that,” said Ali Manek. “The best part is, instead of dialogue, we used a combination of lyrics from popular English and Arabic songs.”

The 5-6 minute video is expected to be a YouTube sensation upon its official release on Eid-ul-Fitr in September 2011. It will also be entered into the New York Film Academy’s Short Video competition entitled I Love UAE. The team is hoping the video is popular enough for them to add more characters and scenes in the sequel: Songs in Real Life - Dubai.

Join their Facebook page for news, previews, photos, and a chance talk to the stars of the film: https://www. facebook.com/SongsInRealLife

On a typical Friday in Abu Dhabi, most teens love to go out and about to various destinations in the city to spend their two day weekend. Hummus and kuboos being Arabic food specialities are had at almost any time of the day!

The New Souk is a huge attraction for hanging out, shopping and loads of other activities, and of course our long ‘marina drive’ gives you a fresh view of the Corniche and its skyline.

Then there are the ever busy Hamdan and Electra Streets, buzzing with life! “I LOVE UAE” Film Competition has given us an opportunity to showcase our idea of the UAE. Think random!

Think UAE! Watch the “Friday” video

BIEBER FEVER OR BIEBER HEADACHE??

THE POWER OF WORDS

By Shamma Al Suwaidi

By Rohith Krishna Bhat

Let me start off by apologizing to my 10 year old niece, my 12 year-old cousin, and father Patrick, all of whom secretly hide his posters with hearts on them in their closet.

Why do I hate him you ask? Maybe it’s the fact that he sounds like one of those kids that forgot to wear their sports guard and got into an accident at football practice. Maybe it’s the fact that my aforementioned niece and cousin played the track “Baby” so many times that our neighbour showed up at our doorstep with a shotgun. Maybe it’s the fact that I could never pull off that haircut without wanting to shoot myself. Or maybe - just maybe - it’s the fact that most of us guys really wish we had half as many girls screaming our name when we were his age!!!

But journalistic integrity (whatever little is left after this article) compels me to report the whole story. Most of us are still mourning the death of rock thanks to hip hop and that soulless noise people call techno. We were introduced to the world of “heavy hand holding, magic drinks made by ageing bacteria and rock and roll” (modified for any potential Bieber fans reading this) soon after we got over our pop phase. I suppose these guys were the Biebers of their time… for example, we had the Backstreet Boys who moved our hearts by telling us what shape theirs were, we had the British Boyzone, the pseudo British Westlife, screwed up Britney and of course who can forget N*SYNC? But we still have hope: the 17 year-old icon is growing up and his voice can’t be altered by the same technology that powered the transformers forever! So for all we know he could bring back rock, and for this we hope and pray!! And lastly to my niece and cousin, yes I do know of your plans to kick me in certain areas until I sound like him but hopefully the pain in that area will distract me from the pain he has caused to my ears.

MY ROLEX IS NOT “BLING’” ENOUGH I guess it’s human nature for people to never be satisfied with what they have. At times we question our surroundings, our environment and the people in it. Going back to the beginning of time, that’s how Adam and Eve got kicked out of paradise. With everything that’s happening nowadays; people standing up and speaking out, it brings to mind: are these people speaking for rights that they deserve, that they somehow earned? Or are we hearing a spoiled child’s cry for more toys?

The news delivers a certain message that’s addressed to the public.

These messages trigger thoughts, especially when it comes to politics.

I remember my father used to tell me: “Don’t believe everything that’s being said on the news, most politicians lie.”

Growing up with that made me question whether what I heard was true or not; whether it was “right” or “wrong”? I came to this conclusion: I understand why some people may go to the extreme to make a change, but for persons who are in every way stable, to stand up, and demand a change that they as well as others will benefit from, is a bit bizarre.

Here one might argue that they’re speaking on behalf of the voiceless or “for a better cause” but that leads to another question: “who are we to speak on their behalf?’”or “is it really a better cause worthy of others’ pain?” Whether we like it or not, we’re living in a capitalist world that doesn’t really preach equality. It’s all about “classes”. We are judged by how much money we make and privileges that come into our life. It is harsh thing to say but life is life, the blessed are blessed while the poor suffer.

The sad thing is that somehow the blessed find a way to stand against everything that gave them what they have, and they ‘carry’ the role of the poor and those in need of justice. In your case, what is it that makes you preach for justice when you’ve been eating the candy and tossing the wrapper to those beneath you?

All I can hear is “My Rolex ain’t ‘bling’ enough.”

Volunteering in Indonesia by Shairoz Manek

CELEBRATING THE HUMAN SPIRIT: A VILLAGE BEATEN, BUT NOT BROKEN On 26 October 2010 Mount Merapi the largest active volcano in South-East Asia erupted. The volcano permanently destroyed farms, ruined the livelihood of a village, left thousands homeless, and killed over 300 people. Abu Dhabi based Shairoz Manek was there shortly after it happened, and here she relates her experience with Tempo‌

I had the opportunity to volunteer in the affected areas, and that’s thanks to The World Is Our Village, a Non Profit Organization founded in Canada set up by my younger brother, Ali Manek. Our Village raised nearly Dh 5000 and sent me to work in the villages with the goal of using the funds in the most effective and responsible ways possible.

I can best describe Indonesia as a country that is full of warmth and smiles.

Right from my arrival in Yogyakarta I felt welcomed and comfortable. A local volunteer Fajar Kurniawan, who has worked with Our Village in the past, picked me up and was my guide and mentor for the remainder of the trip.

When we arrived in the village surrounding Mt. Merapi, I was informed that there had been very little support given to those affected. Government support was slow, the United Nations had come and gone, and private donors were spread very thin as a result of the many other natural disasters around the world in that year.

Arriving in the villages was gut wrenching and heart-warming at the same time. I witnessed first hand the destruction to villages; the lives that had been torn away and the pain and sorrow amongst the refugees who were forced into makeshift campsites and abandoned schools.

Shairoz with Kids at the Singlar Shelter. The children and their families lost their homes from the volcano eruption.

Shairoz also assisting with the cleanup

Fajar and Shairoz on their way to the village which was an hour from Jogjakarta, Shairoz was very soar after each ride!

I also witnessed a community of overburdened people working together to help each other through the difficulties. I was working with volunteers from the nearby city who had no connection to the villagers at all – yet they spent every hour serving the people. I was honoured to be a part of their recovery process.

We worked in the rural villages daily, focusing on the ones who received no support from outsiders. Working with a team of dedicated volunteers (mainly university students from the city) we would go to the refugee camps to help out as much as possible. We bought goats and other food supplies for the shelters and I had the chance to meet some wonderful people.

I met an old lady who sat me down and with tears in her eyes and explained how she lost her house and her two cows – her whole way of life, in a matter of hours. Others told me about how their crops could never grow on this land coated with lava.

But there were also signs of recovery. Houses were being reconstructed and we used some of the donations to purchase roofs and cement for homes. We also purchased food for nearby shelters and on several occasions assisted in the shelters, and spent time providing school supplies. I also got to visit Fajar’s friend’s house (one of the few standing houses because it was made out of brick).

Just when things appeared to be getting better, they deteriorated fast...We were approximately 15km from the volcano itself and out of nowhere it started raining, hard! The nearby river started to overflow and panic set in; the volcano’s activity caused massive heating of the water and the riverbanks were no match for the rain. Pretty soon we found ourselves flooded with hot mud!

Shairoz visiting burned victims. Endah Friutami and her father were the only survivors in their family. She lost her two brothers and her mother from the hot ash cloud that burst through their home killing them. She has been in the hospital since October 26th, with her arms and legs completely burned and her toes had to be amputated.

After a night full of intensity and fear, I asked Fajar to take me outside for a better look at what had happened. To my surprise, the mud was still scorching hot, lava rocks were massive after tumbling through the mud and destroying everything in their path. I saw clothes, shoes, and toys all lying in the debris, and we tried not to be overwhelmed by the incalculable losses of life. We focused on cleaning up in daylight as many other local volunteers came to assist. What a disaster!

The men in the house quickly went outside, with rubber boots and masks because of the amount of smoke. In just a few minutes, one of only two standing houses turned into an emergency shelter. I tweeted (via @ourvillage1) throughout the evening and gave people around the world a window into the struggle of this brave little village.

I want to say ‘maturnuwun’ (thank you in the local Javanese language) to all the wonderful people I met and spent time with. Volunteering in Indonesia was one of the most incredible and meaningful experiences of my life!

Soon this village, which had finally shown signs of progression and recovery, was starting to be swept away, and for a second time in only a matter of months was fighting for its survival. I watched an old man, sitting alone, crying about his losses. We helped a six-month pregnant woman to refuge after she lost all her possessions. It was a heartbreaking experience.

If you want to make a difference, donate or volunteer www.theworldisourvillage.org

KEY PERSON: Murtuza Kaizer ACCOMPLICES: Tasneem Kaizer, Yasser Delli, Eman Delli, Farida Harneswala and the youngest member Aliasgar (11 years old).

THE UAE ARABIC SPEAKING GROUP

THE IDEA: Murtuza Kaizer: I started this group back in July 2010 and am still searching for a co-organizer. A total of 116 members have joined since we started. Every member who joins is called a “Sagr” meaning “falcon” in Arabic. Different nationalities, professions, genders come together to learn to speak Arabic… and fortunately we have Arab members who volunteer to teach them.

Murtuza Kaizer: I was born to Indian parents in Abu Dhabi and studied at an Indian school. Both of these made it difficult for me to converse in Arabic. I moved between two language schools then finally on January 2010 I found a course in spoken Arabic at the Berlitz Institute. As I successfully completed five levels of intensive study, I started this group…

This group intends to create a bridge between the Arabs and the Non-Arabs. The Non-Arabs can shout and say that they don’t speak Arabic fluently even after spending most of their life in the UAE. In exchange, the Arab members come here to share their language and culture by simply socializing.

Murtuza Kaizer: An idea posted may turn into a Meetup. In the past we organised Iftars, bowling games and dining meets. What’s the best way of learning or speaking Arabic? The simple and most comprehensive answer… practice, practice and practice!

Yasser Delli: I teach Arabic at the Berlitz Institute. It’s not just about teaching, but about practicing colloquial conversation. What you learn in books is ‘classical Arabic’ but what we promote is spoken or colloquial Arabic.

Tasneem Kaizer: It is when you have normal conversation that you really learn a language.

Farida Haneswala: Initiative and practice counts. My son’s school teaches Arabic. While he can read, write and score well, he has difficulty understanding.

The students are taught to ape action, not understand words.

THE MESSAGE: We want to promote this group in universities and institutes and invite locals to join and volunteer to teach.

We urge everyone to take the initiative, to buy a book on Arabic vocabulary and practice with us. We next meet on July 16 or check us out at Meetup. http://www.meetup.com/Arabic-Language-Lovers-UAE/

DOC IN THE HOUSE

Dr.DMS

| A Doc from the Bronx

LIVE WELL

Layla Ezzedeen | Performance Whiz and Feng Shui Practitioner

POWER FOR THE PEOPLE

MIRRORS OF THE MIND

We are back, and so are they!!! The POWER people, YEAH!!!!

Where would I be without these guys? They keep me busy, and as they say, “time flies when you’re having fun”.

From last month’s exercise you may have examined your life in some detail. The truth is, we create it all. The challenges and successes, the ups and downs, the smooth paths and the complicated ones. How? By what we think!

Here’s a group of candidates that I really don’t relate to: jetskiers and their accidents!!!!! Overall I have a hard time being too sympathetic to these. These water gorillas are so careless and show total disregard for life and limb of anything and anyone. Countless times I have been buzzed on my paddleboard by these morons, who think its funny to come as close to me as possible or to spray their wake at me or other bathers. The coast guard doesn’t care (thanks guys for making the waters so much safer for all of us).

Listen up Mr.Jetski: let me assure you… on other shores your behavior would result in a free face adjustment by someone’s fist. But that’s not where it ends. These “macho” jetski boyz ( gangstaz? HAHAHAHAA, no way!!!! ) seem totally surprised, when I have to tell them that one of their comrades has, or is about to succumb to fatal injuries caused by their dangerous jetski escapades. I sympathize with their sadness, but, don’t act so surprised, a wise man once told the world, “stupid is as stupid does....”

Recently a young man paid us a visit after being assaulted by several guys. Immediately, as I walked into his cubicle I noticed two things: no bruises or cuts and that he has braces. He described his attack in good detail, but lacked any physical evidence. He was very anxious and at the same time, very embarrassed.

After speaking to him at length and examining him, I give him the “good” news: that he’s OK and can safely go home. He launches into me, that he needs x-rays, blood work, etc crying his eyes out......ooops, a “qualified” health care professional? Nope, a college student! But here’s the real kicker… I ask him if he plays sport. “ I’m a fighter!!! MMA, you know it?”

I almost fell over (and had to stifle a good laugh). I advised him to quit.

Being witness to this sissy-like display of drama was far too much and fighting sports needs warriors, not this kid. And, if for no other better reason, someone with braces should NOT get punched in the face for fun.

If you know one of these characters, give ‘em a big HIGH-5 from me.

They’ve earned it.

I can promise you that more winners will pass through our doors, just let me settle in and stay tuned...

Our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves and lives attract matching experiences. This is a potent idea; to realize that we have the ability to mold our lives.

You may have noticed that different people live in different niches because of their mentality. You’ve got the club-goers, the workaholics, the nerds and the many others types. What type are you? What life-niche do you occupy? Take out your journal and list a few characteristics of your life.

LOOK WITHIN. ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT 1. Your parents or guardians – Awkward? Painful? “Good friends”? What kind of things did they say to you when you were growing up?

2. Friends and intimate partners – Always falling out? No social identity?

3. Your body and your health – Does it work? Do you get multiple colds a year?

4. Work and play – Do you feel “overworked and underpaid”? Love your job, or hate it?

5. Financial independence – Do you feel that you never have enough? Or that there is enough for everyone?

6. Write about other areas of life that you feel is relevant Write down all that echoes in your mind…Next, ask yourself if you want these ideas to continue to be true for you. You may start noticing that some of your beliefs mirror your life experiences – and shape your space.

If you often find yourself short on money, you may have a ‘scarcity consciousness’, believing things like “rich people are crooks” or “it’s hard to make money.”

Merely taking notice of the undercurrents of your mentality and how they reflect on your life experiences will trigger precious beginnings of change. Dare to look within and start de-cluttering your inner closet.

You will be delighted to clear out your temple and meet a purer you.

ECOLOGY AND LUXURY: ROYAL CAVIAR FROM THE DESERT IN MUSSAFAH

by Alma Kadragic

Photos by Abdul Rahman Here in the UAE we›re used to mega construction projects that get into the Guinness Book of Records, from a tower in Abu Dhabi that leans more than the one in Pisa, to the world›s tallest building and the biggest collection of artificial islands in Dubai. For a change last month we learned about a different kind of blockbuster project: the biggest caviar factory on the globe that will produce tons of top quality sturgeon eggs and benefit the natural environment at the same time. The Royal Caviar Company (TRCC) is located in Mussafah, more often associated with car repairs, cement mixers, and oilrigs than fish farming or aquaculture. At 50,000 square meters, the factory which is part of the huge family held Bin Salem Holding, will produce 35 tons of the best kind of caviar for the local, GCC, and world markets.

Good Life for Sturgeon Most of the water used in the sturgeon’s environment at TRCC will be recycled.

Fish waste is rich in nutrients and will be sold to local farmers as fertilizer. The sturgeon growing at TRCC will enjoy the best quality of life possible with state of the art water purification and water recirculation technology and equipment from partner United Food Technologies (UFT) from Germany. TRCC will not create any environmental pollution although it will be four times larger than any other such facility in the world.

Everyone Wants Caviar The business seems to have a bright future. According to Robert Harper, Group Commercial Director for Bin Salem, worldwide demand for caviar each year is 400 tons more than the supply. TRCC is expected to produce 35 tons a year when it reaches full capacity by 2015. With annual demand in the UAE at 14 tons, TRCC should be able to satisfy demand her e and ship more than 20 tons to growing markets in the Middle East and Asia.

Aquaculture Helps the Environment But that’s not the whole story because unlike many other industries, aquaculture actually gives back to the environment. Much caviar today is produced from wild sturgeon who have been declared endangered species and who cannot survive for long if they continue to be caught and killed to serve the caviar trade.

The sturgeon now at TRCC come from fish farms in Germany; their eggs will produce sturgeon in Abu Dhabi who will produce their own eggs; the process takes four years so by the end of that time, the sturgeon grown here will live and thrive without reducing the number of sturgeon living in the seas.

Caviar from the Desert As UFT’s Chairman Christoph Hartung explained, “We have worked with Bin Salem over the past three years to develop a factory suited to the environment here,” and, he added, “we are excited to be here in Abu Dhabi to see a busy factory with fish arriving every week, and we look forward to the fish harvest of Abu Dhabi caviar.”

Why caviar from the desert in Abu Dhabi? The answer, Harper said, is why not.

Abu Dhabi is at the crossroads of the Middle East and routes west to Europe and North America and east to Asia and the Pacific. The emirate provides inexpensive electricity and water for the project. Land too is available and inexpensive.

Perhaps most important, in Abu Dhabi as in Dubai, they dream big and come up with ideas that wouldn’t fly anywhere else.

THE SOUGHA CORNER

JUST HANDCRAFTED

Sougha products are all hand-made home made by Emirati artisans. Patterns are inspired from the Emirati heritage and production techniques were not altered, only product designs were customized to today’s consumer.

Preethi Janice D’Sa | Scientist-artiste hybrid

MY LIFE - A BEAUTIFUL HANDCRAFT I was six years old when I created my first ever jewelry piece – a gaudy green coloured ring for my father’s birthday. I seem to remember cajoling my father to wear that ring to work, without much success.

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Hand-woven palm leaf beach bag with camel leather straps

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Traditional Emirati Sadou patterns in the form of table runner

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Make-up cases, glasses case, wallets, key chains and business card holders

I must admit I was a bit surprised at the time I created the ring, because I always wanted to become a doctor and not an artist, musician or dancer. In fact, being artistically inclined like my parents, it would have seemed perfectly natural that I would someday have my own art and design boutique. So creating that ring was the start of many civil wars between my artistic and scientific sides.

Sougha is an initiative by Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development aimed at reviving Emirati heritage through entrepreneurial skills development of local artisan groups.

Sougha is also an establishment that acts of behalf of 300+ local artisan all over UAE. Where to buy: Sougha Kiosk at the Central Market Souk For more info, call: 02 696 0000 or Email: sougha@khalifafund.gov.ae

THE SOUGHA QUIZ 1.

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What does Sougha mean?

What is Shiara?

How does Sougha fly?

Quiz winner will have to send all correct answers to: sougha@khalifafund.gov.ae by the 15th of August 2011. Winner will get 1,000 Dh worth of Sougha products selected from the Sougha Kiosk.

SOUGHA KIOSK PHOTO CONTEST Contest participants will submit 1 high resolution photo of the Sougha Kiosk, at the Kiosk by the 15th of August 2011. Submissions will be judged by Khalifa Fund’s selection committee. Winner will get 1,000 Dh worth of Sougha products selected from the Sougha Kiosk.

The scientist in me won for a while and I went on to train as a molecular biologist and geneticist in the UK before returning to the UAE. The more I delved into life sciences and medicine, the more rebellious the artistic tone of voice became.

Would I ever find a way for these ‘personas’ within me to be reconciled? There had to be a remedy to this unceasing struggle. My concoction of treatments started with crafting limited editions of crochet jewelry pieces under the name Janys De for bridal occasions.

Handcrafting these pieces gave me the marvelous opportunity to display my work at craft exhibitions where other artisans conglomerated. That led me to write extensively about artists and handcrafters for various publications; exploring personas behind high calibre artwork and handicrafts created in the Middle East.

That was my way of celebrating handicrafts. The treatments worked because I also found a way of combining the powerful pen with my passion for medicine through medical content writing and strategy. I am also exploring the idea of botanical and medical illustrations in various art media….

So…it seems that the ‘scientist-artiste’ hybrid called Jan may have found peace. At least for now. Preethi Janice D’Sa runs a medical content writing business and also writes about the arts and travel at www.culturalartstravelogue.com

Visit Jan’s blog and website

} Neena Rai

An artist with a flair

BELLY DANCING BERBER } Neena Rai

THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE & THE SHAILA THREE WOMEN - THREE STORIES – THREE ARTISTS

While everyone is preparing to leave for the holidays, I’ve been busy painting for a three-woman art show.

The funky and fresh exhibition entitled “The Blonde, the Brunette and the Shaila” is currently on at the Emirates Tower Hotel through Art Select gallery. The title has been inspired by the personal attributes of each of the three artists, namely Jennifer Simon (the blonde), Khawla Darwish (the shaila) and moi (the brunette). In this edgy and women centric show, each artist has a different story to share. All three of us come from distant parts of the world and I think we manage to bring together a nicely knit show based on our diverse experiences.

NORMA JEAN } Khawla Darwish THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE & THE SHAILA } Jennifer Simon

Jennifer Simon, “The Blonde”, is a British national who grew up in Australia and has lived in the UAE since 2000. Jen first “emerged onto the art scene” in Abu Dhabi in 2007, where she held a solo exhibition entitled “Lifescapes”. Jen’s artwork includes people living in cities, and she draws inspiration from her time in the Middle East and Australia.

Jen has been painting since she was young. She once told me: “Art is a passion but it takes a fine balance not to let it become an obsession.”

Khawla Darwish is an Emirati visual artist who was born and bred in Dubai. “The Shaila” got her art education at Zayed University in Dubai. Her artworks relate to the UAE culture and the heritage she was raised in, but even that is presented in a contemporary and modern way. You may have seen Khawla’s work at the Venice Biennale 2009.

I play the role of “The Brunette” (which indeed I am) and for those of you who do not know me here’s a bit of bio: I am of Indian origin, was born and brought up on the subcontinent, but have lived in this region since 2004. My artworks reflect my love of bright and cheerful colors, where I try and captivate the viewer’s attention into imaginative worlds that show both the strange and familiar. I take inspiration from people and places to make what I hope are vivid, striking paintings that leave a lasting impression.

Exhibition dates - 29th June to 29th July. Art Select Gallery, Emirates Towers, Dubai.

Visit Neena’s blog and website

THE INTERNET REPORT

By Ali Manek

Apple’s iCloud The biggest news to hit the online world in the past few weeks was Apple’s introduction of the new iCloud feature for their mobile devices. Cloud computing is a feature that allows us to store data on an internet “cloud” or a hard-drive that’s not inside your own computer, allowing you to free up space and gain access from anywhere. iCloud will be using the same concept but for your media files!

For example, if you have a 8GB iPod and 20GB of music on your computer, iTunes will save your entire library on their “cloud” and give you complete access to it whenever you login! So now you have full access to your entire media library wherever you are! (And not just the music you download from iTunes!)

Have you tried Google Chrome?

Most of us use Internet Explorer or Firefox for our browsing however the newly updated Google Chrome is making a strong push for their share of the market. It was released in 2008 and currently sits third (12.5%) as the world’s most used internet browser – but is it maybe to give it a shot?

The interface has been revamped. It includes 3D integration and provides an easy, smooth and quick browsing experience. Best of all they’ve released Chrome 12.0 which has beefed up security features especially for PC users!

Want to generate more traffic to your website? a. Focus on Keywords Think about what your clients might search for… a specific feature, different terminology, misspelt words (yes, you read right) and make sure your website content contains all of this! b. Go Local If you are serving a geographical local consumer base use tools like Google Place Page, and Four Square to let people know where you are!

HOW ONLINE SHOPPING SITES SUCCEED

By Omron Khan What makes a clothing or electronics retailer your favourite? Aside from the products and the offers, chances are it has something to do with the attentiveness of the employees and the overall appearance and layout of the store. E-commerce sites are no different.

Online stores must be functional, accessible and userfriendly for everyone that visits them, which generally counts out wacky, experimental designs and layouts. The top sites seamlessly blend usability, invention and plenty of style.

One of the most popular sites on the internet today, Amazon makes the list of top sites for its ingenuity and progressive nature. Almost one third of the people who buy online shop at Amazon.com. The site commands trust from each of its shoppers, as security is a major component when people make the decision to shop online.

Much like Amazon, the creators of eBay figured out that trust means everything to e-commerce. To that end, it was among the first sites to encourage its buyers to publicly rate sellers. This year eBay even insured transactions so that customers would no longer have to worry about fraud.

One of the great benefits of online shopping is the ability to read others’ reviews of a product, be they experts or simply fellow shoppers. These opinions are most important when it comes to purchasing consumer electronics: 57 percent of online respondents from a global shopping review conducted by the Nielsen Company consider reviews prior to buying. Reviews on cars (45%) and software (37%) rounded out the top three most important online influences when making a purchase.

Online reviews and peer recommendations also played a key role for shoppers researching future purchases of consumer electronics, cars and travel, and 40 percent of online shoppers indicate they would not even buy electronics without consulting online reviews first.

c. Go Social Don’t underestimate the power of Social Media – optimize your Facebook page, use Twitter as a listening tool, and develop engaging content to bring in clients!

So if you are considering joining the online shopping revolution with a site of your own, before you start imagining the orders pouring in and the sweet ker ching of a virtual register, you need to seriously consider your site design, choosing the right presentation for your customers is key and remember to make things easy which includes payment methods.

Ali Manek is Training Director at Logicks.com, a leading online marketing and social media training agency in the UAE. Contact Ali on info@logicks.com

Omron Khan is Managing Director of Direct Result Ltd, a UK and UAE based company specialising in website design and ecommerce development services.

Contact Omron on omron@directresult.co.uk

THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN ARAB SOCIETIES

by BrandMoxie

How to develop and refine your MISSION & VISION STATEMENTS So you’re thinking of developing your vision and mission statements, or refining your existing ones? Good for you. But you need to think… is this something genuinely integral to your company’s business strategy, or just something that will look pretty in a plaque in your reception area?

Unfortunately, a large number of companies (and some we confess are our own clients) have nice sounding vision and mission statements that don’t really filter through their organization and have diddly squat to do with their “raison d’être” (reason for being). You probably know some yourself… their vision/ mission states ‘customer service’ and then you call them and get a dumb receptionist who puts you on hold for 10 minutes and then forwards you through three departments before you finally get a dead dial tone. That’s why you should ask yourself if your vision and mission statements are for real. If you’re not really sure, then grab yourself a couple of aesthetically pleasing mission and vision template statements off internet sites (some offer them free), but if you’re serious then read on…

Visions should be articulated at the top, and they should define why the company is in business. The vision should include broad intent and aspirations for the future. It should have an enduring quality and have the ability to inspire. Remember this will be the battle cry that will rally your entire company to fight for you, so take time to do it well. Where you get into more concrete purpose and direction is in the mission statement. It gives guidance to the company and motivates staff by defining priorities. If you want a kick-behind mission statement then get it as close to specific as you can, and make it relevant to your stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, employees, partners and vendors.

So what should you keep in mind when drafting your mission statement? In our client strategy workshops we emphasise the need for a key theme around which everything revolves.

“Everything” includes four elements: value, realism, specificity and optimism.

The flavours of mission statements vary depending on the company. Yours will depend on the industry you’re in and the type of company you want to be. Some companies choose shortterm goals and then tweak their mission statement frequently, and some state longer-term objectives. In today’s climate, and especially in rapidly evolving industries (say technology), we recommend short-term goals that are adjusted at least quarterly to be able to address new business opportunities. (Some brash top end internet companies even do it monthly!)

Companies in more static environments also need to review and revise their vision and mission statements periodically. We see companies in the UAE who have developed their statements at the birth of the entity with no one going back to ensure they are aligned to the company’s current business goals. (So bottom line, there should at least be an annual review). Keep your mission statements short and focused. If they’re too longwinded no one will remember them and if they’re complicated they will lose their effectiveness.

So invest enough time in developing your vision and mission statements, so that they may work for you and hopefully guide you onto the path of success and prosperity.

Copyright 2011 BrandMoxie

Keep learning. www.unleashmoxie.com

by Alma Kadragic What’s going on today in the Arab world is an evolution of media to match the revolutions in some countries and stirrings of civic society in others. That became very clear at the recent conference The Role of Media in Arab Societies held at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and co sponsored by the German think tank Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

Most speakers talked about social media, discussed its role in the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, and agreed that Facebook or Twitter alone cannot bring about a change of government.

However, given the huge numbers of young people in these countries and the Arab world as a whole, it’s hard to imagine political and social change happening today without social media playing a big part.

What’s interesting is that speakers seemed to agree on the lesser role played by traditional media, both print and broadcast.

Although Al Jazeera Arabic’s extensive coverage helped focus attention on first Tunisia and then Egypt, it has been much less involved in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and is facing the same problems of coverage as western media in countries such as Syria where the government doesn’t allow foreign media to enter the country or sharply restricts them as does Libya.

Almost everything we see from Syria today is coming from civilians, people using mobile phone cameras and uploading photos and video to YouTube and similar sites. Information too is coming from reports on social media, and that is the problem for traditional western journalism operating according to ethical standards and free of government control.

How to evaluate information from anonymous sources or sources whose identity is masked: That’s the task today for BBC, CNN, and other international media organizations which are caught between their goal to report news and the difficulty of determining if the information and images from outside and sometimes unknown sources can be credible. One way is not to use anything coming from people who don›t work for the media organization, but that’s impossible for those that pride themselves on being first or at least very fast with the key news events. Weekly news magazines and documentary TV programs don’t have this problem - they don’t need to be first with breaking news; they specialize in long form news analysis.

Providers of daily news know their key competition is online, so they provide news alerts on email which get picked up on Twitter and spread around the world long before the broadcast or print deadline. If something turns out to be wrong, the correction is made on Twitter and in the alerts. I often find news from Libya or Syria or anywhere that anything unexpected happens on Twitter before it shows up as an alert from Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or ABC news, all of which send me breaking news alerts.

To keep up with the Arab Spring or news anywhere in the world, I have to be on Twitter, and you should be too.

(Follow me on twitter @almakad)

YANK IN THE SANDLAND

Randy Parker | Captain America in Exile

BEST LAID PLANS It is summer again and that means it is time for my annual leave back to the homeland. It has been over a year since I have graced (or befouled, depending on your political and/or moral leanings) my nation of birth.

I get asked all the time why I don’t get back to the USA more often.

Due to my vocation, I have the means and time to do so. The simple answer is that the taxman is to blame. He keeps me away from friends and family for all but a mere 30 days a year or he will make claim of a rather large percentage of the income I earn in foreign lands.

A good friend/ex- coworker and I planned to meet here four days in advance of my departure. She was to fly from the US, we would see some sights then fly back together on my departure date back to JFK and go our own ways from there.

Simple, huh? Not quite. She was standby and got bumped off the flight from JFK to Abu Dhabi in a rare occasion where everyone actually showed up on time for the flight. Not one of the ~300 seats went unfilled. It was an abort at the last minute. She ended up going back to her home.

JUST A THOUGHT

Manar Al Hinai

A Khaleeji girl who overthinks a lot and loves to write

DREAMS DO COME TRUE, IF YOU WRITE THEM DOWN! When some get upset, they swallow down huge scoops of ice cream or cry it off. But when I get frustrated I channel my emotion by changing the décor of my room. And on one such day (as I was emptying my drawers)…a book fell on my feet. It had been almost a year since I last wrote in it so I instantly dropped everything and opened the book. I saw my 2010 goals, and my jaw dropped; I couldn’t believe that I managed to achieve everything I jotted down on that list.

Some of my friends and family laughed at me when I introduced them to “the law of attraction,” not because they found the idea of the law was amusing, but at me for being overly optimistic and believing that anything can happen. The law simply states, if you strongly believe a goal or a dream of yours can be achieved the universe will find a way to make it happen. In Islam, Allah states that “I am what my worshipper thinks of me” meaning that if a worshipper believes that Allah can make his or her wish come true, then it inevitably will happen.

This is a perfect example of the “Butterfly Effect” where it is theorized that the presence or absence of a butterfly flapping its wings in a certain time or place may trigger the presence or absence of a hurricane in another time or place. In other words, a series of minor, unrelated events add up to alter the lives of others. If just one passenger was delayed in NYC traffic and couldn’t make the flight, my friend could have gotten a seat and my plans would have been realized.

We are not as in control of our existence as we like to think, everything is interconnected and our lives are determined by random things that happen near and far. Muslims have a good word for this, Inshallah.

Loosely translated to, “If God is willing, it will happen”. I am not sure about a deity being involved, but I think for the most part, we are just along for the ride with little personal influence in the outcome. There are just too many outside factors beyond our control.

Visit Randy's blog on your smart phone

Think about it, nothing is impossible anymore. Whoever would have thought that one day we would be able to cross an ocean in just seven hours in metal container (i.e. airplanes)? Or that we would able to talk to someone on the moon at the press of a button? These are possible now only because someone dared to dream and make them happen. Channel your thoughts and ideas positively, and you will be amazed by your ability to get what you want. But be careful what you wish for, and always remember that practice makes perfect!

After I put my notebook away I jotted down my goals for this year, and placed it on my nightstand…

Follow me on twitter @manar_alhinai

HOROSCOPE Aries (March 21-April 19) You will experience growth and rise in repute. You will feel a higher level of energy and creative ability as well. By the middle of the month, a gradual distance from family and relatives could be felt. There could be some changes in property as well as domestic matters. As long as you are positive, there would be abundant energy to work out matters.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Creative work would bring in growth in finances. Be humble in speech and communications. Your position will rise and growth will come due to your dynamic attitude as well as networking skills. Growth oriented period overall. There is a possibility of travel as well.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Hard work and aggression would be high. Ego will remain an integral part of thinking as well as attitude. Finances would remain active and on your mind in the second half of the month. Family matters would be in the focus too.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) The month would begin with low activity and some amount of pressures and sluggishness. Improvements in outlook, followed by rise in activity would come. You will experience leadership abilities now.

Leo (July 23- August 22) Gainful period financially, while socially you would be active. A dip could be felt in health and stamina overall. Chances of useless expenses, while some losses are possible. It would be useful to keep the level of activity lower than usual.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Career will progress well, while you will still experience heightened activity in career.

Income and growth will jump. You will find happiness in social life, while very positive reunion with friends possible now too.

Libra (September 23-October 22) Creative work and spirituality would be present in your outlook. Luck will be good too. Career will grow based on new ideas as well as hard work. People in authority as well as government sources would be supportive. Children related matters would be positive, while investments would blossom.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Poor stamina and certain amount of challenges overall would remain. Work could experience a slowdown. Important assignments are better postponed after the second week or the next month. Improvements in luck and overall growth could come. Chances of travel is possible too.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You should remain cautious about fever etc. Health and stamina could dip after the second week of the month. Hurdles in routine matters could rise too during this period. Fatigue & level of tiredness could prevail now.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Hard work and support from people in authority will help you make good progress in work. It is a positive period in love life and relationships too. You could experience a higher level of obstacles and possibility opposition to ideas and relationships.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18) Mind could be over active and some amount of ego could run your thought patterns.

Issues with children could crop up too. You will find a rise in energy in work environment. You will find support from superiors and some rise in dynamism which could help you progress faster.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Active period in work as well as domestic matters. Some amount of resentment could build up against family members. Avoid conflict. Middle of the month and onwards, your creative energies would be high and you will remain more self centered than usual. Children related matters could remain strained now.

TEMPO LAUNCHES THE “I LOVE UAE” VIDEO COMPETITION IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR THE UAE AND CELEBRATE IT'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY THROUGH YOUR CREATIVITY! MAKE A MINI VIDEO ON THE UAE!

All participants should be 11+ years (with parental consent if under age) and should hold a valid UAE residency.

CRITERIA: • Be creative: music video, skit, snapshot, promo...

• Film on camera, mobile phone or anything you like!

• Language: Your choice! (if other than English or Arabic please include English subtitles) • All films should be no longer than 40 seconds • Deadline: August 15, 2011

You can Enter "For Me" or for "Me and My School"

All participants should be 18+ years with a high school diploma or equivalent and should hold a valid UAE residency.

FOR "ME AND MY SCHOOL" CATEGORY:

THEME: “I LOVE UAE”

TWO COMPETITIONS:

"FOR ME" CATEGORY:

PRIZES: • FIRST PRIZE FOR "ME" CATEGORY: Four week intensive film making course at the New York Film Academy, Abu Dhabi.

• FIRST PRIZE FOR "ME AND MY SCHOOL" CATEGORY: You will be invited with your class and your senior grades, to a film making workshop at the New York Film Academy, Abu Dhabi. The student who submitted the winning video will also win a video camera.

• RUNNER- UP PRIZES

For more details, go to: www.tempoplanet.com Start uploading your videos now!